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Berry scatched from lineup due to knee discomfort

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LAKELAND, Fla. -- For the second day in a row, Tigers manager Jim Leyland had Quintin Berry written into his starting lineup. For the second consecutive day, Leyland had to scratch Berry's name when the speedy outfielder felt discomfort in his left knee.

This time, the Tigers are going to give Berry a few days for treatment.

An examination Wednesday by Dr. Sal Montenegro, including X-rays and an MRI, confirmed tendinitis in Berry's knee, where the patella meets the quadriceps. Head athletic trainer Kevin Rand said Berry will be treated with physical therapy and medication for the next few days, then re-evaluated.

Rand confirmed that Berry was dealing with the condition at the end of last season.

"He rehabbed it through the offseason," Rand said, "then he made a move that re-aggravated it the other day."

If it's going to happen, it's better that it happen early in the spring, when there's enough time for Berry to rest and still be ready for the season as long as the treatment works. There's also less pressure to rush him, and for him to rush back.

That said, it leaves the Tigers thin in their outfield ranks for a while, even this early in camp before any cuts have been made. Andy Dirks worked out before Wednesday's game with the team, including batting practice, but he hasn't yet been cleared to play. Dirks said they're going to "play it by ear," though he wasn't on the initial travel list for Thursday's game against the Rays in Port Charlotte.

Meanwhile, Brennan Boesch continues to work his way back from the right oblique strain that has sidelined him for the past week and a half.